seven arrested on sex trade charges

Seven admit sex trade charges

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Thursday, January 08, 2009, 10:00

SEVEN Chinese and Thai people have admitted sex trade charges after a woman was trafficked from Thailand to a brothel in the Westcountry.

Plymouth Crown Court heard a Thai woman found at a brothel raided by police in the Greenbank area of the city had been bought and sold and then forced to work as a prostitute to pay off a debt.

Five women and two men have admitted various charges relating to trafficking the woman across the United Kingdom, turning her to prostitution, controlling her in that trade and running the Plymouth brothel and another in Taunton.

Andrew Oldland, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: "This was an organised criminal activity, focusing on the exploitation of prostitutes for gain. It was not a one-off."

He said the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fell prey to loan sharks in Thailand. She was smuggled to the United Kingdom via Ireland and then sold to Jarawee Faknak and Chananchida Chankaeo for about £20,000.

She was then expected to work as a prostitute to pay off her "debt bond".

The court heard she had no money, no friends in this country and as an illegal immigrant would have felt intimidated going to the police.

Fifteen police officers carried out a raid at the Gascoyne Place address in Greenbank on October 9, 2007.

Faknak, 40, from Southampton, admitted two charges of trafficking the Thai woman within the UK for sexual exploitation in September and October 2007.

Chankaeo, 28, had earlier admitted causing the woman to become a prostitute in September that year.

Vithool Gomart, 51, from London, yesterday admitted trafficking her within the UK for sexual exploitation in September and October 2007.

Jutamas Tan Songglin, 26, from Aberdeen, earlier admitted trafficking the woman across the country for sexual exploitation in September and October 2007. She also pleaded guilty to a charge of using a forged passport as a false instrument in October 2005.

Yu Ming Lee, 32, from Nottingham, yesterday admitted controlling the woman as a prostitute in September 2007.

Mee Wong, 41, and her daughter Grace Lim, 20, both from Holloway in London, admitted two charges of managing the Plymouth and Taunton brothels between June and October 2007.

Judge Francis Gilbert remanded all but Wong in custody until they are sentenced on February 5. He released Wong on bail to care for her four-month-old child.

North-east woman admits part in trafficking woman
Thai citizen made to work in sex trade

By Ryan Crighton

Published: 09/01/2009

AN ABERDEEN woman has admitted her part in trafficking a Thai citizen across the UK to work in the sex trade.

Jutamas Songglin, who was caught by police trying to leave the country with £10,000 in cash, forced the 29-year-old victim to see 10 men a day at a brothel in Plymouth.

Two men and five women, including Songglin, admitted s charges relating to trafficking the 29-year-old woman across the UK, turning her to prostitution, controlling her in that trade and running a brothel in Plymouth and another in Taunton when they appeared in court.

Andrew Oldland, prosecuting, told Plymouth Crown Court: “This was an organised criminal activity, focusing on the exploitation of prostitutes for gain.”

He said the victim fell prey to loan sharks in Thailand.

She was smuggled to the UK via Ireland and then sold to Jarawee Faknak and Chananchida Chankaeo for about £20,000. She was expected to work as a prostitute to pay off her “debt bond”.

She was taken to Luton, where she worked as a prostitute for about a week, and then to Plymouth.

At an earlier hearing Songglin, 26, admitted her part in trafficking the woman across the country for sexual exploitation between September and October 2007. Songglin, who is understood to have stayed at both Faulds Gate and Wallfield Place in Aberdeen, had promised the victim a job in a restaurant. However, the victim was forced to see 10 men a day before she was rescued by a client.

The court heard that Songglin was stopped at Heathrow Airport carrying £10,000 in cash in November 2007.

Faknak, 40, from Southampton, has admitted two charges of trafficking the Thai woman in the UK for sexual exploitation in September and October 2007. Chankaeo, 28, from an unknown address, had earlier admitted forcing the woman to become a prostitute in September that year.

Vithool Gomart, 51, from London, has admitted trafficking her in the UK for sexual exploitation in September and October 2007.

Yu Ming Lee, 32, from Nottingham, admitted controlling the woman as a prostitute in September 2007.

Mee Wong, 41, and her daughter Grace Lim, 20, both from London, admitted two charges of managing the brothels in Plymouth and Taunton between June and October 2007.

On Wednesday, Judge Francis Gilbert remanded all in custody, except Wong, who was released to care for her four-month-old baby. All seven will be sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on February 5.